This coming weekend, which looks as though may be a bit cold and wet, we’ll be fielding a team in the BURN 24 Hour Challenge in Wilkesboro, NC.  And, as much as experience has taught otherwise, I’ve strapped a bunch of new stuff to the bike just before the race.  Fortunately, I’ll get two or three rides in before the gun goes off, but look for some reviews with some serious race testing on the following items about a month from now:
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Hayes Stroker Gram hydraulic disc brake. So far, only the front is installed because I’m waiting for a new rear wheel to resolve some technical issues (yes, more new stuff just before a race…), but replacing the mechanical disc that was on the bike shaved 96g total, and I won’t have to worry about cable contamination given the forecast. Very excited about this. |
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Continental Race King tire – Before I saw the forecast, I was thinking this would be a very fast option.  This is a new tire for Conti, and it’s light at about 480g for the 2.0, but narrower than I expected…they look thinner on the bike than the 2.0 Kenda it replaced.  The rubber is grippy feeling, and the one ride so far is promising. |
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Specialized S-Works Mountain Bike Shoes – These are a serious upgrade from the 3- or 4-year old Specialized Pro MTB shoes I had, and much more comfortable than some other brands I’ve used.  Only one ride, and already a little scuff…the anticipated mud this weekend doesn’t bode well for their cosmetics, but the lacing system should keep them more snug than shoes with full velcro straps would in wet conditions. |
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It’s almost like someone at Energizer knew we had a 24 Hour race coming up.  Their new Trailfinder LED headlamps, which are available in this and a 6-bulb version, which, oddly, is the same price as this 3-bulb version.  It should make latenight pit work and food prep a lot easier, not to mention reading the scoring sheets to see the gap we’re putting on everyone (natch). |
Check back soon for reviews on these and other bike stuff.
